Where to Sell Stock Photos in 2026: Every Major Agency Compared

Every major stock agency compared for 2026 — royalties, review standards, AI policies and metadata rules, with a full guide to each platform.

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Each entry links to a full breakdown of that platform's royalty structure, review standards, metadata requirements and AI policy."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The quick answer"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"q1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"q1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If you shoot conventional commercial stills, start with Adobe Stock and Shutterstock — they have the largest buyer bases and the most straightforward submission. Add Alamy for editorial and archival work, Getty or iStock if you produce high-end commercial content and can meet stricter review, and Freepik or Vecteezy if you work in vectors or generative AI. Video belongs on Pond5, Storyblocks and MotionArray. Most working contributors submit to between four and eight agencies."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h2a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h2as0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"AI policy: the 2026 dividing line"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"a1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"This is the first filter, because getting it wrong now carries account-level consequences rather than a rejection."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a2s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Accepts AI with labelling: Adobe Stock, Freepik, Vecteezy, Depositphotos, Dreamstime, 123RF. Bans externally generated AI entirely: Getty Images and iStock. Banned by contract from 1 September 2026: Alamy, where submission is treated as a material breach."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a3s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If you produce generative work, it needs a separate pipeline from your captured work. Sending an AI file to Alamy after September is no longer a rejected upload — it is a contract breach."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h2b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h2bs0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"General photo microstock"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"m1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Adobe Stock — "},{"_key":"m1s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"how the 33% royalty and per-download economics work"},{"_key":"m1s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". The largest single opportunity for most contributors."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/how-much-does-adobe-stock-pay-per-download"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m2s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Shutterstock — "},{"_key":"m2s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"category assignment, the 50-keyword limit and editorial rules"},{"_key":"m2s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Huge buyer base; note the global expansion of unlimited subscriptions in July 2026."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/shutterstock-complex-category-mapping"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m3s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Alamy — "},{"_key":"m3s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"the amended contract, new commission tiers and the AI ban"},{"_key":"m3s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Strong for editorial and archival work. Gold now requires $3,000 in annual sales rather than $250."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/alamy-unique-keywording-ai"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m4s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Getty Images and iStock — "},{"_key":"m4s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"the 2026 rate card, exclusivity trade-offs and metadata standards"},{"_key":"m4s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Highest per-sale values, strictest review, no external AI."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/getty-istock-metadata-standards"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m5s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Depositphotos — "},{"_key":"m5s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"earnings, review and multilingual search"},{"_key":"m5s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Genuinely international buyer base."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/depositphotos-global-metadata-ai"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m6s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Dreamstime — "},{"_key":"m6s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"why approval rates are lower and how to raise them"},{"_key":"m6s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Rewards curation over volume."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/dreamstime-approval-rates-ai"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m7s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"123RF — "},{"_key":"m7s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"royalties, review and keywording for an Asia-Pacific audience"},{"_key":"m7s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/123rf-seo-asian-market-automation"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m8s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"PIXTA — "},{"_key":"m8s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"selling into the Japanese market and its visual conventions"},{"_key":"m8s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/pixta-japanese-stock-market-ai"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"m9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"m9s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"EyeEm — "},{"_key":"m9s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"authentic, editorial-feeling photography and Missions"},{"_key":"m9s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Also see our guide to "},{"_key":"m9s3","_type":"span","marks":["L2"],"text":"selling phone photography"},{"_key":"m9s4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/eyeem-aesthetic-photography-ai"},{"_key":"L2","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/eyeem-aesthetic-mobile-metadata"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h2c","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h2cs0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Video and motion"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"v1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"v1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Pond5 — "},{"_key":"v1s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"contributor-set pricing and footage metadata that editors search on"},{"_key":"v1s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/pond5-video-metadata-automation"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"v2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"v2s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Storyblocks — "},{"_key":"v2s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"how subscription pool payouts change which footage is worth producing"},{"_key":"v2s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/storyblocks-video-collection-ftp"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"v3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"v3s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"MotionArray — "},{"_key":"v3s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"selling templates and project files, where compatibility metadata decides usability"},{"_key":"v3s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/motionarray-technical-tagging"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"v4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"v4s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For footage specifically, our guide to "},{"_key":"v4s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"tagging a shoot as a series"},{"_key":"v4s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" covers how to keep related clips surfacing together."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/storyblocks-consistent-footage-metadata"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h2d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h2ds0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Vectors, illustration and design assets"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"d1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Freepik — "},{"_key":"d1s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"the mandatory AI label, per-download earnings and bulk upload"},{"_key":"d1s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". One of the few large agencies still accepting AI from any generator."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/speed-up-freepik-uploads-with-ai-metadata"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d2s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Vecteezy — "},{"_key":"d2s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"the free versus Pro tier decision"},{"_key":"d2s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and "},{"_key":"d2s3","_type":"span","marks":["L2"],"text":"bulk delivery"},{"_key":"d2s4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Strong vector audience."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/vecteezy-free-pro-search-ai"},{"_key":"L2","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/vecteezy-bulk-ftp-strategy"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d3s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"VectorStock — "},{"_key":"d3s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"the structural pre-flight checks that cause most vector rejections"},{"_key":"d3s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/vectorstock-metadata-for-illustrators"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d4s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Envato Elements — "},{"_key":"d4s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"pool payouts and why item construction quality drives earnings"},{"_key":"d4s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/envato-elements-tagging-design-trends"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d5s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Creative Market — "},{"_key":"d5s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"building a shop rather than listing files"},{"_key":"d5s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Also see "},{"_key":"d5s3","_type":"span","marks":["L2"],"text":"how designers actually search"},{"_key":"d5s4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/creative-market-digital-shop-tagging"},{"_key":"L2","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/creative-market-seo-tagging"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d6s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Canva — "},{"_key":"d6s1","_type":"span","marks":["L"],"text":"the Creator Program, usage-based payment and design-editor search intent"},{"_key":"d6s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/canva-contributor-tagging-strategy"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h2e","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h2es0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Choosing how many agencies to submit to"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"c1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Concentration is the risk that 2026 made obvious. Contributors relying on a single agency absorbed each of this year's changes in full: Alamy's tier restructure, Getty's AI position, Shutterstock's subscription expansion. Contributors spread across several absorbed a fraction of each."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"c2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c2s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The practical limit is not appetite but workload. Every additional agency has different keyword caps, category systems, required flags and AI policies — Adobe allows 49 keywords and reads only embedded IPTC, Shutterstock allows 50 plus fixed-list categories by CSV, Getty maps to a controlled vocabulary, Freepik requires an AI flag, Alamy has no cap at all."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"c3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c3s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Copying one keyword list into all of them produces rejections in some places and invisibility in others. Our guide to "},{"_key":"c3s1","_type":"span","marks":["L1"],"text":"bulk metadata generation"},{"_key":"c3s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" covers the batch workflow that makes multi-agency submission practical, and Rastock AI "},{"_key":"c3s3","_type":"span","marks":["L2"],"text":"generates per-agency metadata and delivers over FTP"},{"_key":"c3s4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to 25+ destinations in one pass. Plans by upload volume are on the "},{"_key":"c3s5","_type":"span","marks":["L3"],"text":"pricing page"},{"_key":"c3s6","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L1","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/bulk-metadata-generation-stock-contributors"},{"_key":"L2","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/features"},{"_key":"L3","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/pricing"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"h2f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"h2fs0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Where to start"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"h2"},{"_key":"s1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"s1s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If you are new: pick two agencies, learn their review standards properly, and build a submission habit before adding more. Adobe Stock and Shutterstock are the usual starting pair because their requirements are well documented and their buyer volume is highest."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"s2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"s2s0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If you already submit to two or three and want to scale, the constraint is almost always metadata rather than content. Our guides to "},{"_key":"s2s1","_type":"span","marks":["L1"],"text":"writing metadata for stock photos"},{"_key":"s2s2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", "},{"_key":"s2s3","_type":"span","marks":["L2"],"text":"choosing keywords that convert"},{"_key":"s2s4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and "},{"_key":"s2s5","_type":"span","marks":["L3"],"text":"AI metadata generation"},{"_key":"s2s6","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" cover the fundamentals, and "},{"_key":"s2s7","_type":"span","marks":["L4"],"text":"Adobe Stock rejection reasons"},{"_key":"s2s8","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" covers what to avoid."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"L1","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/how-to-write-metadata-for-stock-photos"},{"_key":"L2","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/best-keywords-for-stock-photos"},{"_key":"L3","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/ai-metadata-generator-for-stock-photos"},{"_key":"L4","_type":"link","href":"https://rastock.ai/blog/adobe-stock-rejection-reasons"}],"style":"normal"}]